Many Arabs would love to "wipe out the Jewish nation once and for all" if it wasn't for the United States standing up for Israel, one of America's leading television evangelists said in Bermuda recently.

Dr. Robert Schuller, who broadcasts the "The Hour of Power" from the futuristic Crystal Cathedral in California, was on the Island to preach, and he lectured in the Ruth Seaton James Centre.

The 76-year-old preacher said he could not answer whether President George W. Bush should go to war with Saddam Hussein, but said he did not trust the Iraqi dictator.

Dr. Schuller was on the Island as part of spirit of unity month.

Speaking to The Royal Gazette before his lecture, he said: "I don't trust him (Saddam) and I don't think anyone should trust him. He hasn't kept his promises.

"We have to be aware of how we can defuse something that could be so horrible in history. I know how terrible and deep the terrible hatred is among many Arabs for the Jewish nation (Israel).

"If they could wipe out the Jewish nation once and for all, many would feel the only problem they have is with the US, not Europe. The anti-Semitism in Europe is very deep.

"It is very commendable that we are thinking about it (war), but it is not pleasant, and it would be very costly in terms of lives and sacrifices."

He added: "There is conflict and I don't know how peace comes without going through the process of listening, hearing, and weighing up the options intelligently.

"I don't consider myself an appropriate person to ask for advice about how that conflict should be resolved.

"I was in Germany a few weeks ago addressing about 200 people and the first question they asked was: `What can we do to get your president to back away from talk of war?'

"I said: `We've been criticised a lot in the US for waiting too long before hitting Hitler, and yet our government has lost more young men fighting in wars. We've always walked away without taking any of the national treasures or expanding our boundaries.

"All we've left behind were white crosses, our boys, and hopefully a better freedom for the people. That's what we fought for, not money or control of oil."

He said one solution could be to persuade President Bush that Saddam Hussein will grow old and no longer be a threat, but there was a terrible risk in doing nothing.

"We're talking about war and (trying) to impress on President Bush and the powers in America that Hussein, he's a good boy or he's getting better.

"Cool it, he'll grow old and be a nice old man. But if we are wrong, and he drops a bomb or wipes Israel off the face of the earth and becomes the emperor of 22 Arab states..."